喜欢

Learning Chinese: How to Say "Like" in Chinese

Chinese Characters: 喜欢
Pinyin: xǐhuan
Pronunciation: shi3 huan4
English Translation: to like; to be fond of

Usage:

"喜欢 (xǐhuan)" is a commonly used verb in Chinese that means "to like" or "to be fond of." It can be used to express a wide range of positive feelings towards something or someone.

Example:

Chinese: 我喜欢吃中国菜。
Pinyin: Wǒ xǐhuan chī zhōngguó cài.
English: I like to eat Chinese food.

Variations:

There are a few variations of "喜欢 (xǐhuan)" that you may hear:

爱 (ài): A stronger expression of liking, similar to "to love."
挺喜欢的 (tǐng xǐhuān de): A more casual way to say "to like something," literally meaning "quite like."
Tips for Learning:

Practice saying "喜欢 (xǐhuan)" out loud to improve your pronunciation.
Listen to native Chinese speakers saying "like" to get a sense of the natural rhythm and intonation.
Use "喜欢 (xǐhuan)" in your daily conversations to practice using it in context.

Additional Notes:

"喜欢 (xǐhuan)" is typically followed by a noun or noun phrase indicating what is being liked.
For example:
我喜欢北京 (Wǒ xǐhuan běijīng) - I like Beijing.
我喜欢唱歌 (Wǒ xǐhuan chànggē) - I like to sing.
To express that you like someone, you can say "我喜欢你 (wǒ xǐhuan nǐ)." However, this phrase is typically used in a romantic context, so it's important to use it appropriately.